Rome pickpockets

[cberge]

Being from the NY area & having lived in DC, I am vigilant but never had to sew velcro pockets into my clothes or buy neck pouches & security belts or leave my new camera home as we are considering....even with a theft proof strap the art of distraction seems too well perfected over there...HOw safe are the hotel offered safes?

We are looking forward to the trip but very uneasy esp abt Barcelona & Rome .Hope the other ports will be better & we are booked on ship's excursions for all the ports....

 

I really hate to see this kind of post about people being afraid in some of the cities.Just an an FYI this spring Wsahingto,DC had a huge proble with PP's,being being held up at GUNPOINT on the Mall,hotel thefts in the lobby and other asundry happenings so it can happen anywhere.I have been to all these cities numerous times and I have never had a problem...I really can't say that enough.You never hear about the majority NOT having a problem just the miniority that do.Yes, PP's are very good in Euope and they are ALL over,it's just that some places get more attention than others.As said sooo many many times by me and others...just be aware of your surroundings,don't be distracted in a crowd even in a church(no place is off limits and the churches are a big tourist draw)...please just go and have a wonderful time.Take your camera or better yet take disposable ones if you feel better leaving yours at home(postcards are good buys as well for pics).You will enjoy your trip I just bet:D

[tomko2]

Taking reasonable safety/security precautions anywhere are important. In Las Vegas I have seen women leave their purses on the floor beside them --- duh!:eek:

We are going on the LOS in August and already have our around the neck wallets (mine is from Belle Hop made of a soft/satiny material and snaps around my bra straps).

Years ago in Rome my DH was swarmed by a bunch of females trying to get money from him (OMG I realize this could be read soooooooo many ways). Anyway, he tried politely to push himself away from them but they were quite aggressive so I pushed my way in and starting swinging and yelling; it did the trick and they moved off. There is no way my DH would ever strike a woman so he didn't know how to respond. This time round we both will be fine if such a thing happens again.

:)

[lambs2]

Having just returned from several weeks in Europe, I found it best to NEVER carry a purse. Instead I wore a small leather backpack with a locking closure. We kept all our valuables, including my DH's wallet, credit and debit card, and copies of our passports (the originals were in our safe at the hotel or cruiseship) in it and DH kept our small digital camera securely clutched in his hand with the strap around his wrist. We had no problems with this method. I also kept some Euros for incidentals in my bra pocket (I made this with an old cotton shirt pocket and velcro).

[piratesmate123]

My husband had his brand new video camera stolen on our first night in Rome a few weeks ago. We think it was on a bus - he didn't realize it was gone until we got home that evening.

My suggestions/lessons learned:

1.Don't carry camera in a camera bag.

2.Don't put anything in your pockets that you don't mind losing.

3.Leave valuables (credit cards, spare ATM card, passport) in a safe in the hotel. Just take 1 credit card, ATM card, a little cash in a money belt for the day. Shove this down your pants where only your very good friends should go!

4.We bought a new video camera in Rome and my husband used a large safety pin or carabeener (from local sports shop) to clip it inside a Slingsafe 200 by Pacsafe (also purchased in a local sports store) (they have a web site). I liked the slingsafe because of the triple protection - slashproof, camera was clipped to an inside pocket with a zipper, and there was a flap that clipped over that. Wear this across your shoulder diagonally.

5.I preferred a day pack. In crowds, I carried the day pack in front of me with my arms over it. I also used yellow twist ties on the zipper pulls. Not foolproof, but just an extra step if someone wanted to get into my pack. I also used a large safety pin or carabeener to clip and hold my camera to the inside of the pack in case it ever got slashed so the camera wouldn't just drop out.

6.When getting money out of an ATM, one of us concentrated on the machine and the other was strictly a lookout. That job is watch the street (not the ATM machine) and be on the alert for anyone who looks suspicious. (One day, I told my husband to abort getting money out because there was a man who was looking in a nearby ladies shoe store just a little too long.)

7.I also had a pair of 3/4 length pants with pockets on the calves which had button closures - I would put about 20 Euros and Metro passes in there for the day's supply. People might see me getting money out, but it was too obvious and difficult a target for a casual pickpocket. Just an extra step if someone wanted to try to rip me off.

8.Make copies of your credit cards, emergency contact/cancellation numbers, passport, plane tkts, other valuable stuff you don't want to lose. Leave a copy of all this in the hotel safe. Also, scan or e-mail all this information to yourself so you can retrieve it at an internet cafe if you lose all your papers and copies.

More likely than not, it won't be a crowd of gypsies that's the problem. We think my husband lost his camera on a crowded bus while we were seated. A quick bump, and that was it.

You want to create layers of interference so you're not an easy target.

Linda

[wsdwsd]

We just returned from the 2 week Brilliance of the Seas cruise out of Barcelona. Our hotel was off La Ramblas....the street was VERY crowded and we did not feel our luggage was safe at all as we went from the taxi to the hotel about 40 feet away. Fortunately, we made it into the hotel with no losses.

 

I purchased several items from a company called Pacsafe (see their online site) including a strap for my camera, a camera bag strap, and around-the-neck money pouches, each of which contain metal threads so they are very difficult to cut. I also bought two combination locks with retractable metal cords. These were very handy in situations in which I needed to secure multiple bags of luggage together to prevent theft. For example, on the day we boarded our cruise ship, we wanted to go to the Picasso museum before boarding the ship. Checkout time at our hotel was 11AM and the luggage room was full. I was able to put our 10 bags of luggage (5 people) in an empty dining room & I used the combination locks with the 6 foot extendable/retractable cables to attach the suitcases to fixed a structure in the room making it almost impossible for a passerby to casually remove the luggage. Another example--- after the cruise while waiting at the cruise ship terminal for a taxi to the airport, I used the cable lock to secure our luggage. It was really a disorganized madhouse at the cruise terminal as there were literally 5000 passengers disembarking from 2 large ships and it would've been easy for someone to make off with a suitcase. I also bought the shorter (about 3 foot) version of the extendable combination lock for use in securing our carry on bags together when we were seated at fast food restaurants in large airports such as Barcelona or while sitting in a cafes such as Nice, France or Rome. These cables retract into the locks and easily fit into your pocket. They have lots of interesting travel security items at Pacsafe.

 

My wife caught a couple of teenagers as one of them attempted (unsuccessfully) to pickpocket me outside of a museum in Florence. We were in a crowd waiting in line to purchase tickets to get into the museum & I wasn't paying close attention as I was snapping pictures. One of the kids started to reach into my front pocket for my wallet but fortunately my wife saw him, grabbed his hand, and yelled "I don't think so !". Our Italian guide yelled at him in Italian and threatened to call the police (they probably wouldn't have done anything as I get the impression PP is just so rampant there). They just walked off nonchalantly as if nothing had happened --- but they came up empty handed.

 

Bill

[rebeccalouise]

Sorry- I get so mad when I read this. Like PPs have a field day with tourists.

 

I think it is the responsibility of the local authorities to curtail this practice. If they were thrown in jail and had to buy their way out with a $ 1000 fine- that would really be a good example and a money maker for the cities. JMO

[standby 06.30]

I have been to barcelona 3 times on cruises, and about 10 times for the weekend its quick, cheap, and easy from liverpool john lennon airport, with no problems, this could be due to a lot of reasons, but the main one is my wife and I do not travel in groups, we do not look like targets, we take reasonable care, with our belongings, and we are confident about our abilities, crime is everywere, but these posts with a lot of horror stories create a victim mentality in some of the the people who read them, and when they walk about with that fear believe me they become targets, in hurghada in the red sea,jan 06 the people were rioting over the cartoons and the ferry that sunk, we were told only to take trips that were protected by armed tourist police, we had a wander around with not a hint of a problem, it was a different matter for the large groups,just be sensible and you should be ok

[cruisemom42]

I do get a little tired of all the protestations that if you are vigilant all will be well. I'm very vigilant, and still had my wallet lifted. I was on my own, didn't look like an obvious tourist (no camera, well dressed), and had taken precautions. My passport and extra cash were in the hotel safe. My bag was over my shoulder, under my arm, and zipped all day. Yet my wallet was stolen right out of the bag. Best I can figure is that it happened when I was getting an ice cream, the ONLY few moments when my arm wasn't LITERALLY over the bag.

 

I don't feel "victimized" I just chalk it up to the fact that if you travel, this is a risk. My losses were minimal, mostly the time it took to cancel the two credit cards and make a report at the police station.

 

However, I do think people should be aware that despite your best efforts, pickpocketing can occur and I do think it is more rampant in certain European cities than in US. (However, I'd rather have my wallet lifted by stealth any day than have a gun pointed at me.....)

[standby 06.30]

42 I said you should be ok, also you may think that you donot look like a tourist but the people that saw you with your arm over your bag, will have recognised that, if it was a week day you are not at work, the hotel you came out of, if it was a good standard, then you were followed, the fact that you bought icecream on the street, instead of having lose change in your pocket you withdrew your wallet from your handbag that was protected by your arm, I could go on, I used to teach women how not to be compremised, im a good guy, the bad guys are far more perseptive they do it for a living, I concur with your views on gun theft, having had a 6ft 4in guy from were we lived murdered in miami in his hire car some yrs ago because of the number of crimes like this involving hire cars and tourist in miami they had to change the markings on these hire cars

[Nonna and Papa]

As it's been said many times in these threads that tend to surface frequently, visitors to any large cities must be vigilant of their belongings, no matter what continent you're on. Pick pocketing in many countries is a national pastime and just part of the culture. It doesn't make it right (especially when you're a victim), but there it is.

 

Besides the numerous tips already stated here that we also use, I never carry a classic style wallet in my purse. Instead, I use small zippered (non see through) make up cases, about 2x3 or 3x4 inches, which I pin to an inside zipper of my small, long strapped purse. I carry my purse over my head and shoulder in front of me. If thieves open your purse,the first thing they will look for is a wallet, because other than the obvious place one keeps money, it's easy to grab. In crowded places, such as the metro, trains, buses, tourist spots, I use little suitcase locks to secure my purse and my husband's daypack and safety pin the key to an inside pocket. You could also use tiny combination locks, but we just ude our old (non TSA) suitcase locks.

 

It's no fun to travel and worry constantly about being preyed upon - you might as well stay in your home where you can control everything! :) But who wants to do that? Travel this beautiful world of ours, and just take the precautions that are always listed in these threads; be aware of your surroundings,and have a great time!

 

Mary

[mad4mky]

Don't be fooled by well dressed people around you either. PP's are not just rag-a-muffin looking kids/teenagers.

 

While getting onto the Paris Metro a few years back...my husband, daughter (who was living in Paris at the time) had gotten off the last step down onto the platform, while the train arrived...we weren't even having to wait for a train...when as soon as he walked to enter the train, a PP had his backpack (while it was on his back...we had just arrived from London) unzipped, and his hand inside.

My daughter shoo'd him off.

 

BUT...this PP was dressed in a beautiful 3 piece business suit, tie and with a briefcase in hand. He looked like a typical successful business man about his buisness in Paris.

 

They have tourists pegged. Be careful...where money pouches/belts (as my husband did. They would have only found sounds/briefs in his backpack anyway :rolleyes: ).

Pacsafe is GREAT for women to carry as a sling/purse if you must carry something. :)

[hcat]

Not feeling safe to go from one's taxi to their hotel w/luggage a few feet away speaks volumes- We are committed to this trip but not at all happy abt our pre & post cruise stays in BCN--Too bad I did not read these types of post before we made our plans--there are many other places to go without such worries!

[rebeccalouise]

One of the crew members on Princess- a 20 something guy from Italy told me that he was robbed while visiting friends in Barcelona. He did not look like a tourist. In fact, he would have blended in perfectly in Spain. He was robbed while on a bus. His front pocket was slit without him even noticing.

 

For those that have become fearful- I think the point that should be made is that it might be best to have your belonging in an under the shirt wallet across your chest. My son and his buddies traveled all over Europe last year and they were not pickpocketed because one literally has to reach down your shirt and fish around for a zippered inside pocket that is strapped across your chest. Not an easy feat. As for money- use credit cards as much as possible and don't take more Euros than you can use on your outing.

[carma7007]

My teenager doesn't quite believe that pickpocket are as bad as I am telling her and she thinks I am making too much of warning the family to beware.

 

Would anyone care to enlighten her or take her side on this issue.

[tom_uk]

My teenager doesn't quite believe that pickpocket are as bad as I am telling her and she thinks I am making too much of warning the family to beware.

 

Would anyone care to enlighten her or take her side on this issue.

 

I have to confess, I'm a little bemused by all this. Like many people in the UK, over the last 10 years or so I & my family have become quite frequent travellers to European cities - Rome (several times), Paris, Barcelona, various other cities in Spain, other parts of France, Amsterdam, etc. None of us have ever had anything stolen. I can't say we have taken especial precautions, but it's never happened to any of us. And one of the trips to Rome was by my daughter with an all-female group (student nurses) staying in a cheap (dormitory-style) hostel near Termini station. You can imagine the dozen or so of them wandering around, very happy & excited with where they were, and probably not being especially careful, but even then they were OK. So that's our experience.

 

Of course, when I went to North America (Boston/New York) I was in fear of my life, which was doubtless absolutely unrealistic but fitted the images I'd got in mind of those places.

[rebeccalouise]

Tom UK- I have never been afraid of pickpockets. Prior to my trip in 2005, I had been to England, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. My trip in 2005 was my 15th trip to Europe and I had never been pickpocketed.

 

But on my fateful trip to Barcelona in 2005, I was pickpocketed within 10 hours of disembarking the ship. I was only there for one night and spent it crying in my room. I had read all about Barcelona ahead of time. For this city- and only this city that I am aware of- the guidebook warns of the pickpockets. I held my purse tightly between my arm and chest the entire day. Even while swinging my son on the playgrounds. I only set my bad down for 30 seconds and held it tightly between my calves. In the time- my digital camera and change purse were stolen.

 

Believe me, the only reason I set the bag down was because my 4 year old son insisted on playing a basketball game in a videoarcade and then when the balls came out he said "Mommy, you do it". I was afraid to put my purse down even for a second. When I picked up my purse- I could tell it was lighter. I look around (I believe it was a little boy that was standing next to me prior to that) I didn't see anyone running off. I was irrationally angry with my son, for telling me to shoot hoops against my better judgement. Then spent the night crying in my room and calling my mother long distance.

 

Unless you have been pickpocketed and had 2 weeks of vacation photos stolen from your brand new camera in a country where you speak a foreign language... you don't know how violated you feel. The money was secondary- they only got about 30 Euro coins (that I got to use in the arcade).

 

So, I am not a scaredy cat traveler and believe me take precautions in Barcelona. I have had good experience in Italy- but they try to rip you off in other ways there- but that's another story.

[bigwally]

Of course, when I went to North America (Boston/New York) I was in fear of my life, which was doubtless absolutely unrealistic but fitted the images I'd got in mind of those places.

 

Funny, that's the way I felt when I visited Sheffield/Derby. LOL!

[cberge]

My teenager doesn't quite believe that pickpocket are as bad as I am telling her and she thinks I am making too much of warning the family to beware.

 

Would anyone care to enlighten her or take her side on this issue.

I have been to Europe many times and I have never had a problem.I have been around people that have had a problem,and not been happy campers as some on this board have noted with their own troubles.As for a teenager thinking an adult is making a big deal out of something...what's new. I say then let her take thei own money/camera/iPod/etc. and if not pp'd fine,but if so then all onus for anything lost falls on them...not to be replaced by parents.Pickpocketing in Europe,as I have mentioned before,is a fact/way of life there...it is a business,usually family run,so anyone is fair game on the streets,bus,metro,crowds etc.

[vegs1]

Not feeling safe to go from one's taxi to their hotel w/luggage a few feet away speaks volumes- We are committed to this trip but not at all happy abt our pre & post cruise stays in BCN--Too bad I did not read these types of post before we made our plans--there are many other places to go without such worries!

 

Hello hcat - Please try and not worry so much about your trip. Bad things happen to people every day in life...getting hit by cars, pickpockets, etc. The odds are in your favour that NOTHING will happen.

 

We were in Barcelona last year and I was a bit worried but we were very careful to stay away from any large groups congregating around Las Ramblas (do not play the three shell game or even go over near it!). We carried a camera around our neck and I had a small backpack with some money in it. We were extremely careful...the opening was always next to my body and we never put it down.

 

Part of the risk of travel are just the things that we all worry about. It's too bad that no one ever posts "I didn't get pickpocketed in (city name)". It would make people feel a lot better.

 

This July we will be making our second trip to Barcelona departing on a cruise. We will be there 2 nights pre cruise and 3 nights post cruise. I am really looking forward to it and have our days pretty well planned out.

 

If you stay out of large crowds, use common sense and don't carry a lot of cash, you will have fun. Go in with an open mind. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. We love Barcelona! (and I am not from there or have relatives there).

 

Beth

[hcat]

Thanks-- I'm still trying to focus on the positive but then these posts come up fairly often so there must be something to it. We have two days planned to take in some of the main spots, early dinner whihc will be a challenge & then relax & await our cruise departure. We will buy some of the travel safety items & will leave the new camera home this time out. It's too big & don't want to have to babysit it all the time. We have a smaller one we can manage with...Other than that just hope we are lucky!

[vegs1]

Thanks-- I'm still trying to focus on the positive but then these posts come up fairly often so there must be something to it. We have two days planned to take in some of the main spots, early dinner whihc will be a challenge & then relax & await our cruise departure. We will buy some of the travel safety items & will leave the new camera home this time out. It's too big & don't want to have to babysit it all the time. We have a smaller one we can manage with...Other than that just hope we are lucky!

 

Sounds like you're all set. I'm sure you will be incident free! When will you be in Barcelona? If you have enough time, I've heard Montserrat is absolutely beautiful. We are planning on taking the train from Playa Espanya to Montserrat and then doing the cable car up to the Monastery. I am really excited about this part of the trip. What cruiseline are you travelling on?

[SaylorGirl]

Not feeling safe to go from one's taxi to their hotel w/luggage a few feet away speaks volumes- We are committed to this trip but not at all happy abt our pre & post cruise stays in BCN--Too bad I did not read these types of post before we made our plans--there are many other places to go without such worries!

 

I have been to Barcelona several times and will be there again in September. I feel more threatened in Washington DC that I have in Barcelona. It is a beautiful city we have walked all over and taken the metro all over Barcelona, I will not worry when I am there just enjoy. We use our video camera and our digital, carry our passports with us, carry our money, we just use normal precautions that we use in New York or Chicago and enjoy the city. It is a shame to worry so much and not have a good time. Just be careful and try and enjoy all the city has to offer.

[SaylorGirl]

 

Unless you have been pickpocketed and had 2 weeks of vacation photos stolen from your brand new camera in a country where you speak a foreign language... you don't know how violated you feel. The money was secondary- they only got about 30 Euro coins (that I got to use in the arcade).

 

 

Rebecca - I am sorry that happened to you. One thing I always do is take several memory cards for my camera and I change out the cards every couple of days, that way if I loose the camera or it is stolen I still have most of my pictures. I have come across several people in my travels that have lost their cameras by leaving them in a taxi or bus and setting them down and walking away from them, so its not just the pickpocketing that can cost you your camera.

[rebeccalouise]

Thanks for the advice. I know I should have done this. Was a bit of a novice with my new camera (a gift from my Dad for my 40th birthday, which I celebrated on that trip).

In any event, my tablemates from the cruise had traveled around the ports with me and my son and they took lots of photos of us. So when they heard of my plight- they emailed me loads of pictures, which were actually nicer than mine- because both my son and I were in them. So alls well that ends well. But the night it happened (I was traveling solo-with just my 4 year old) I cried myself to sleep.:(

[SaylorGirl]

Thanks for the advice. I know I should have done this. Was a bit of a novice with my new camera (a gift from my Dad for my 40th birthday, which I celebrated on that trip).

In any event, my tablemates from the cruise had traveled around the ports with me and my son and they took lots of photos of us. So when they heard of my plight- they emailed me loads of pictures, which were actually nicer than mine- because both my son and I were in them. So alls well that ends well. But the night it happened (I was traveling solo-with just my 4 year old) I cried myself to sleep.:(

 

Glad you got some pictures of the trip. I probably would have cried also.